


No one Listens

by booknfun



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27885007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booknfun/pseuds/booknfun
Summary: Life’s not fair sometimes.  Alphas have a lot of legal control on their non alpha children.  In England children of alphas cannot move out unless they marry or reach the age of 25.  This causes nothing but trouble for Freddie.
Kudos: 5





	No one Listens

**Author's Note:**

> This is au so I ditched Trident/EMI and Paul Prenter. If something doesn't make sense pretend its part of the au. I wrote this in bits and pieces when I was supposed to be sleeping. Parents try to do their best for their children. Part of my DL Bingo-Locked Up.

Freddie was looking for a matchbook when he found it. A drawer full of pamphlets about mental illness and ‘dangerous lifestyles’ and what can be done about it. Also at the top was a filled out application for an involuntary mental hold. It was signed by his father but undated. Horrified Freddie shut the drawer matches forgotten. The memory was still fresh in his mind.  
When Freddie had gotten home from the tour a few days ago he and his father had immediately started fighting. “I told you I just got home from being on Tour with the band! Its where the clothes and the money come from. If you read anything other than the financials you’d have seen me all over the place. Mother has a whole scra..” Freddie really tried not to shout at his father it only made things worse.  
“STOP Lying to me. You never went farther than Whitechapel and Kensington. After everything we sacrificed for you, we sent you to that school in India to get the best education we could only for you to sell drugs and hang out with other criminals. No More!.” Bomi shouted back at him  
“I’m not lying.” Freddie replied back “I just got back to England last week. I’ve been on tour all over the world..”  
Bomi backhands his son so hard he crashes into the wall. Kashmira was hiding in her room. He already banished Jer to their room after having the same conversation with her. His poor useless easily duped wife had fallen hard for Farrokh’s lies. In a fit of uncharacteristic rage he had hit her as well though not as hard as Farrokh. She claimed she had proof that he was a famous singer. He wasn’t sure how Farrokh had done it but he was sure whatever proof she had was fake. Once he dealt with his son he would make it up to both his wife and Kashmira. “Your nonsense is at an end Farrokh. Your birthday present is a trip back to India and a contract marriage to Aesha. Her father is an old friend who owns a small grocery store. It's time you stop being a wastrel and join the rest of the planet. I will get you cleaned up from whatever you are on and then it is time to find proper work and begin a family.”Bomi grabbed some money that fell out of Freddie’s pocket “Blood money. So what are you selling hmm drugs or your own body? You don’t carry around this much money in a legitimate job.” He tossed the money back on his prone son. “Gone traveling for a year hmm? Was that how long the jail sentence was? A Year? Hopefully they’ll even let you leave the country.”  
Freddie grabbed up the money, flipped his father the bird and stalked out intent on a hotel. Ten minutes later he was dropped off by the police to a smirking Bomi. “Oh no you are staying here where I can keep my eye on you. England’s alpha rights laws do have their upsides at times.”  
Freddie snarled at his father “Next week I turn 25. You and your plans can go fuck yourselves.” Freddie had stalked up the stairs.  
“Don’t worry Farrokh I will fix you. You will become a proper citizen.”  
That fight was last night his cheek still stung. Freddie had ignored him. Now he knew what fixing meant. Freddie rushed to the phone and to call Miami only to see his father go to the drawer and pull out the paperwork and pull out a pen. Freddie fled upstairs, grabbed a bag and tossed everything he deemed important. The doorbell rang and Bomi answered it. Freddie grabbed his filled up bag and rushed for the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was his father and two orderlies. Freddie’s eyes grew huge and rushed back up the stairs the orderlies hot on his tail. They caught him easily enough. His bag tossed aside while they forced him into a straight jacket. Dragged back down the stairs they went through his bag. They also tossed his room as well.  
“We didn’t find any drugs or drug paraphernalia so if he is selling or using he’s not doing it here. We also ran his name and it came up empty for charges and convictions so wherever he’s been it wasn’t jail. Don’t worry though when he comes back he’ll be a good boy.”  
Freddie glared at his father ”I will never forgive you for this.”  
“It's for your own good. You’ll understand once you’re clean from whatever you’re doing.” Bomi looked at the orderlies. “So no charges, no convictions and no warrants that is good news. Maybe it's not too late.”  
“Yes that's what Dr Darnley said, whatever he’s doing he’s not in the deep.” The large red headed one said “Come on let's go.” Freddie was dragged out of the house and pushed into the back of a van.  
The car pulled up to a large white building surrounded by a pretty little garden and very large white walls. The orderlies pulled him out of the van. ”Are you going to resist every step of the way or are you going to behave and comply.”  
“Bite me dear.”  
“That would be a no then.”  
“Hey at least this one is walking on his own. Remember that one guy with the beard?”  
Freddie was pulled into a very normal looking doctor’s office. He was pushed into one of those horrid chairs that they used to pull people’s blood in.  
“Alright its compromise time.” One orderly declared. “We need to draw blood. It would be much easier to do if you give us some level of compliance. Now we got all sorts of prizes if you behave yourself.”  
His comrade snorted “If he ain’t using I’m buying drinks for a week.” he was preparing vials for the draw.  
“What are the prizes? Are any of them getting out of here?”  
“Nope no leaving till the doctor’s say you can but we got a private bathroom with its own shower stall.” this was actually a test. Most failed it for one reason or another.  
“Deal.” both orderlies looked surprised; they cautiously undid the straight jacket. Freddie took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve and held out his arm. The two orderlies stared at each other for a moment and then went through the motions of drawing blood.  
“Ok. Now comes the next bit of business we need the shoes, the jewelry, and the clothes. You will get them all back when you leave but for your safety and the safety of the other patients we can’t let you stay in them. But if you comply we got some new shoes and clothes for you.” Nearby there was indeed a new very boring institutionalized patient clothes and slippers.  
Freddie curled his lip. “Fine.” Freddie went to undo his shoes.  
“Hold on let me do that.” The red head offered  
“I can undo my shoes..” Freddie exclaimed in exasperation.  
“Oh its not undoing them that we care about we just don’t want you tossing them at us.” Freddie looked at the other orderly horrified.  
“Seriously?”  
“Most of the people we deal with are seriously disturbed.” came from the one taking off his shoes and socks too.  
“I can’t keep those? My feet will freeze.” Freddie complained.  
“Nope we used to let people keep them then someone committed suicide with they so we don’t anymore.”  
Freddie sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. He calmly stripped off the rest of the clothes and put the new ones on. “Happy now?”  
“Overjoyed.” A little surprised no body modesty at all. They would make sure to tell it to the doctor. They led him into the therapy room and left him. The doctor showed up a few minutes later.  
“So what do we have? I know the file says the father believed the boy a criminal and doing drugs.”  
“Well after a very brief chase we got him secured. The bag he had with him held no drugs, weapons, or suspicious materials. His room was also clean and we checked very thoroughly. We got a full clean blood draw with no force just with a simple bribe of a private bathroom. No body modesty at all though dropped clothes and got redressed without a single bellyache merely complained that his feet would freeze without socks”  
“Excellent. Maybe not as far gone as the father thought.” Darnley said with a smile before wandering into the room. Looking down at his new patient it occurred to him he’d seen this man before. “Good afternoon its a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dr Darnley. You’re Farrokh correct?”  
“No. I legally changed my name years ago. It's Freddie Mercury.”  
“According to the information we have, it's Farrokh Bulsara that’s what your parents named you and what’s on your intake papers.”  
“My father is an idiot. I legally changed my name two years ago for work purposes.”  
“What kind of work requires you to legally change your name?”  
“I am a singer in a rock band. My own band members can’t pronounce Farrokh, never mind spell it. Freddie Mercury sounds so much better.”  
“You do realize you are not a singer in a band right? Just a confused messed up boy that needs guidance back to civilized society.”  
“You do realize you are as big of an idiot as my father right? Maybe when you leave today go to a record store and ask for a Queen record or Poster.” Freddie at that point shut down and refused to talk to the doctor. Eventually he was led to his cell. There was indeed a private bathroom with a shower stall, a single bed with some pajamas on it and slipper socks. Freddie took a shower and got changed exchanging his clothes for dinner. The silence and darkness of the cell enveloping him. As the night passed the screams of the disturbed made sure Freddie didn’t sleep particularly well.  
The next day it was bland tasteless breakfast and another round with Darnley. Who asked him tons of questions not believing a word he said.  
“Where did all the money in your trust account come from Farrokh?  
“Its Freddie and from album sales and concert revenue mostly.”  
“You do realize you are not a singer in a band and your name is Farrokh. The money had to come from somewhere where did you get it?”  
“From the bloody record company because I earned it and the name is Freddie I changed it legally so it is Freddie!”  
“No one changes their name only women and omega’s when they marry.”  
“Yes well I did because I wanted to.”  
“Sit back down. Things would progress so much faster if you agreed to the basic premise that your name is Farrokh Bulsara. Can we at least agree on that?”  
“No we can’t because that is not my name. It hasn’t been my name in 2 years its Freddie Mercury now. Go look it up, go to any record store and ask for Queen or Freddie Mercury and they’ll lead you right to where I got my money.”  
Eventually Freddie got led away by the orderlies and given something to ‘calm’ him down. He had no interest in eating anything merely stared out the barred window and jumped out of skin whenever passed near his door. Dinner was barely touched. He wanted out, not food.  
Dr Darnley on his way home passed a record store. He debated between going home and going in. He went in deciding that when he found nothing he would ask the clerk to write down that there was no such band as Queen and no singer named Freddie Mercury.  
A colorful character behind the counter, “Can I help you find something?”  
“Yes have you ever heard of a band called Queen?” Darnley asked  
“Yup saw them in concert like two weeks ago. Freddie’s fuckin amazing.” the man made some weird sign with fingers while bopping his head to music only he could hear.  
The doctor’s blood began to freeze. “Do you have a picture or an album cover with them on it I could see?”  
“Sure follow me.” He then went down a long aisle and mounted on the wall like an accordion were posers he flipped through them till he found the ones with Queen and Dr Darnley suddenly came face to face with his patient.  
Oh dear he thought. Looking at the other poster were the dates and locations of the tour they just finished. The man in his hospital was indeed a singer in a rock band. He bought the poster with the dates of the last tour on it.  
The next day he went to work and grabbed Farrokh’s file and his test results also with him was the poster. Before entering his boss’ office he checked the bloodwork. No drugs and no stds the only red flags a few hormones, some too high, some too low but nothing outrageous. He knocked and went in when told.  
Dr. Price had been in charge of the hospital for years but was a good administrator and excellent doctor. “Problem or Complaint?” he asked, not looking up from his paperwork.  
“Problem.” he handed over the file for perusal.  
“So a bit delusional we have treatments for that.”  
“Except he’s not.” Darnley unraveled the poster and showed him the intake photo against the lead singer of the group.  
“So he is the lead singer of a rock band and his father didn’t know?” Price asked incredulously.  
“Yes I talked to the man personally. It looked like all the hallmarks of drugs, prostitution, and maybe a gang. The clothes and the hair constantly disappearing not holding a visible job but having money. The massive amount of cash in the trust account. It looked like a dangerous lifestyle and addiction. Instead I have a rock star in day 3 pretreatment isolation. No drugs, no diseases, he needs to follow up on some hormonal issues but otherwise he’s clean.”  
Price without a word went back to his desk and the newspaper he grabbed on his way into work. On the front cover ‘SINGER MISSING’ which he showed wordlessly to Darnley. Apparently Freddie missed a very important meeting and no one knew where he was. ”Shit. Now what?”  
“I call my boss and we bring Mr. Bulsara in here and we figure out how to unravel this. Go for now I’ll call you when I have something set up.”  
“My first session is with Mercury I authorized a light tranquilizer after his treatment yesterday he got verbally combative.” Darnley admitted.  
“Skip him for now, go to your next patient. As to the tranquilizer you were doing what you thought best with a patient that you thought needed significant help.” Darnley nodded and left. Price called the NHS director and told him the situation.  
“Well that answers that missing person problem. Is there any actual sign of any mental disorder?”  
“Not much. He is noticeably not eating and shows some signs of an anxiety disorder. On the other hand he has been institutionalized without his consent and our food is probably a big cut below what he’s used to. He is a bit verbally combative but who wouldn’t be in his situation. Not physically aggressive so long as the question wasn’t about his father or what he’s doing for a living. He has a firm grasp of the world and what's going on.”  
“Wonderful. Let me get a hold of Mercury’s manager. You get Mr Bulsara to tell him to bring a recent picture of Farrokh 4pm to your office.  
Freddie was brought to the hospital cafeteria where the patients ate most of their meals. At this point because outtake forms weren’t being signed they thought he was going to be staying for a while. Freddie had a hard time dealing with his fellow patients. The Person in front of him had no nose and face looked like it was melting much to his horror it was because of an std. ‘Condoms. I will buy them in bulk’ Freddie barely ate and was led back to his room.  
At 4pm he was led into a room with his Father who looked disappointed to see him and Miami who was startled to see him. His therapist and two other people were also there. The one with the lab coat started. “Good afternoon thank you for coming. I am the Director of this Hospital Dr. Price. This is Dr Sampson head of London’s NHS. And here we have a dilemma that I have yet to experience in my career so congratulations on giving me a new and unique experience. Mr Beach do you have the photo?” Miami nodded. “Mr Bulsara, do you have the photo I requested?”  
“Yes”  
“Do you two recognize that individual right there?” he asked pointing at Freddie who was not quite getting where this was going.  
“Yes that’s my son Farrokh.” and “Yes that’s Freddie Mercury and he’s been missing for three days.” were said nearly together both men stared at each other.  
“Exchange photos please.” they did.  
“What is the purpose of this doctor?” Bomi demanded. Dr. Price held up a single finger to wait a moment.  
“Mr Beach how much money did Mr. Mercury make last year after taxes?” Dr Price asked.  
Miami did some mental math “Somewhere about $4million.”  
Bomi now looked very confused. “How did my son make that much money? There is no way someone like my son can make that much money legitimately.”  
“He is a part of a very popular band. When you go on a world tour with 15 countries you better be making money.” Miami replied.  
“He can’t even read or play the simplest piece on the piano! He can’t be a musician.” Bomi shouted  
“He’s the lead singer.” Miami said dryly “ He doesn’t need to read or play the music when he is the one writing it. Someone else transcribes it. He plays the piano on stage too but like I said when you write it you don’t need sheet music to play it.”  
Bomi looked at Miami in horror Dr Price unrolled the poster with all the dates the band just finished playing. Front and center was his son’s face staring back at him. “Your son is a professional musician, congratulations. If it helps he has been tested clean of drugs and stds. This isn’t the dangerous lifestyle we were expecting though.”  
“If you have so much money why haven’t you moved out?” Bomi accused  
“I CAN’T!” Freddie shouted. Visibly trying to calm himself. “I am not 25 yet.”  
“Yes but why wait for your grandmother’s inheritance that she left you.”  
Before Freddie could snap back. “No Mr Bulsara he literally can’t move out till he’s 25 unless he gets married. It's not legal to sell, rent, or lease to non alphas under the age of 25 unless they are married.” came from Dr Sampson. Understanding finally lit Bomi’s eyes. “Furthermore under some of our more archaic laws most of Freddie’s money gets hijacked out of his checking account into his trust account inflating it to shocking proportions leading him to getting paid partly in cash.” Miami nodded that Freddie did get part of his earnings in cash for just that reason.  
“Now that we have that cleared up. He is showing signs of a mild eating disorder and maybe an anxiety disorder. It could also just be the fact he’s here. Locked up in an insane asylum. Both of these things can be treated at home. If Mr Bulsara will release his order Freddie can leave today and continue treatment as an outpatient.” Dr Price continued  
Bomi looked down at pictures of his son in Japan and other pictures of him in Australia and Italy. Now Farrokh refused to look at him. His wife was angry with him for what he had done and refused to speak with him. She had tried to tell him but he hadn’t believed her and had smacked her. He had smacked Farrokh as well. He was not a violent man but his anger at what he thought his son was getting up to had made him blind to what is in front of him. His son who he thought had turned to a petty criminal was actually a world traveling musician. Bomi saw the paperwork to release his son on the table in front of him. He silently picked up and signed it silently.  
“Wonderful. I don’t suppose you two are going to hug and make up.” Dr Price said.  
“I will never forgive him for putting me in here.” Freddie declared eyes fierce in their anger.  
“He is still your father and was trying to help you. If you truly were addicted and in deep with unsavory people this would have been your last chance to turn in around before ending up in jail. He was trying to save you. People will lie to their loved ones with the most ludicrous reasons as to where the money went or came from or why they were missing.” Dr Darnley cajoled trying to mend the obvious rift between the two men. Bomi appreciated the sentiment but knew his son. Farrokh could be as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be.  
Freddie closed his eyes and tried to breathe and collect himself before talking once more. “Alright I will give you that point. But if he truly cared truly and was interested in my life he could have actually spent more time talking to me and actually finding out what I was doing and where I was going. I invited him many times to come and see our local shows. He always refused, barely listening to a word I said before dismissing me with another lecture about family duty and responsibilities. Not to mention the constant lectures about our religion my clothes and hair.”  
“I thought you were becoming one of them! I thought you were selling your body for money and drugs to men!” Bomi shouted back at him “Such things are forbidden by our church and in most countries would get you imprisoned or executed! I was trying to save you! Save you from ruin, jail, and death.”  
Freddie got up and deliberately got into his fathers face. He hadn’t been able to shower with his usual soaps. His Father was breathing hard in anger and indignation of his son’s little speech. But with his hard breathing he smelt it. Bomi’s eyes widened. Freddie’s smirked and he sat back down again.  
“Now you know.” Freddie said snippily to his father. “I’m sure a smart person like you can figure out why I never fixed it?”  
His son the world traveler. The world could be very dangerous at times especially if it knew you were a single omega. His son was an omega not gay. The rest of the room was confused. His son’s scent was too faint they couldn’t tell they didn’t know Bomi realized. Not even the manager seemed to know his son’s true gender.  
“I had plans for my future. I am living my dream. I will not let anyone stop me now.” Freddie declared.  
“I understand.”  
Freddie cocked his head to the side, “Do you? He signed the paper, can I leave now? Miami can bring me somewhere or another I’m sure.”  
Bomi felt like he was slapped in the face. He deserved it though. His son was not coming home with him.  
“You aren’t going to go home?” Darnley asked surprised.  
“Are you an idiot? Of course not! I was supposed to be at meetings and getting ready to go back into the studio for the next album. Now I have a ton of PR work to do to somehow spin this nonsense so I don’t end up with the nickname Crazy Freddie! Not to mention we still need to have those meetings but now have even less time to get ready and get our acts together before we start recording. I don’t have time to be helping my father realize the world doesn’t revolve around what he thinks and his plans for other people’s futures. A grocer now really!” Freddie cried out hands fluttering in the air. Bomi flinched at the reminder of that conversation.  
“Grocer?” Dr Sampson echoed incredulously.  
“During my last shouting match with my son I told him I had found him a wife back in India her father would teach him to be a grocer and he could become a proper adult with a wife and a family and a proper career and far far away from all his little criminal friends.” Bomi admitted.  
Freddie was wordlessly handed his exit paperwork which included dates and times for doctor’s visits and a bag with his clothes in it.  
“Great. I’d say this was fun but it wasn’t.” Freddie declared getting up.  
“We still need to decide what we are telling the press.” Dr Sampson declared.  
“I don’t suppose we can just ignore them?”  
“You’re on every front page in England so no.” Miami stated matter of factly. “And a few outside of England as well.”  
“We tell them the truth Freddie’s father was a fool.” Bomi responded.  
Freddie was surprised, “Father, you do realize they will eat you alive and make your life miserable. They are vicious carnivores and will continue to hunt you for the slightest nugget of information.”Freddie was still oddly touched, his father even offered.  
“I made this mess. It is on me to correct it.” Bomi stated firmly.  
Much to Freddie’s surprise that is exactly what he did. Freddie went with Miami who promised to set it up. Miami quietly dropped him off at Brian’s house who was shocked at the sight of Freddie in his hospital clothes and tired appearance. They called a band meeting only the band no one else. Freddie told his story to their shock and horror.  
“He actually institutionalized you. Like seriously locked up in the looney bin?” Roger said in shock  
“Yes he seriously institutionalized me. Do you have any idea how hard it is to convince people who don’t listen to music that yes I am a highly paid musician?” Freddie complained.  
“He thought you were selling…”John started  
“Unsavory things on street corners yes yes he did.” Freddie finished. “Miami is setting up a press conference tomorrow. My father will be there and we will detail how this bit of idiocy happened. Miami is cancelling the missing persons report and having a messy talk with executives as we speak.” just then the phone rang.  
Brian answered not many people had his number and he liked it that way. “Hello. Ok hold on I’ll put you on speaker.” he put it on speaker. “For the record the whole band is here, not just Fred.”  
“Understood. Fred can you say Hi please just to make everyone happy?” Miami cajoled  
“Hello darlings I am indeed safe at Brian’s house.”  
“Your father had you committed because he didn’t get the memo about you being a rock star?”  
“Yes he had me committed because he didn’t know I was a rock star he thought I was a drug dealer or prostitute probably both.”  
“Can we get him to drop the prostitute part? I can work with this but we need to drop the prostitute part.” the head of PR said.  
“Shouldn’t be a problem.” Miami replied. “Fred Brian just to warn you the police are probably going to show up with a wellness check. I explained the situation but they need to confirm you are indeed back among us.” There was a knock at the door.  
“I wonder who that could be.” muttered Brian. Brian disappeared and returned with a uniformed officer and a detective with an instant camera.  
“Yup here he is.” the detective declared. They proceeded to take a quick snapshot. “Just needed visual confirmation to put in the folder before closing the case. For the record I have been told you were committed under your birth name by your father is that correct?”  
“Yes it is.”  
“Birth Name so we can look it up in the system?”  
“Farrokh Bulsara”  
“Great thank you Mr Mercury. It was a pleasure to meet you best of luck.”  
From the phone” Is there any way you can keep most of the details under wraps? We are trying to control the narrative. We’re having a presser tomorrow morning.”  
“Yeah no problem. No Comment.” the detective and patrolmen shook hands and Brian let them out. When he got back Freddie’s head was on the counter. “Fred are you alright?”  
“No dear I’m not. I just want to curl up and scream. I’m absolutely starving but not sure I can keep anything down. So no I am not alright in any sense of the word.” Fred admitted.  
John slid some lightly buttered toast in front of him and some tea. Fred gave Deacy a weak smile and ate a small piece of toast.  
“Listen by the sounds of it Mercury needs a bit of time to get himself together let's call it a night we will catch up to you tomorrow 10am at the Sheraton. The Presser is at 12. Beach will contact your father to tell him where and when.” The President of the company declared. “Try and get some sleep.”  
Freddie lost the battle of toast and had started to fall asleep on the counter. Roger and Brian helped him to bed taking his shoes off and simply sliding him between the sheets of bed.  
John was eating the toast while crying. “I can’t believe his own father did that to him.”  
“I know. John I need you to do something for Freddie. I need you to get his cosmetics bag. It should be at his parent’s house. I can’t do it. I need to stay here and watch Fred. If Roger does it he might punch Mr. Bulsara and forget to stop.” Roger nodded in agreement. “Try and grab a few changes of clothes too.”  
“Right. Hopefully they actually let me in this time.” John said straightening up. “I’m off one way or another Freddie will have clean clothes and eyeliner.” John let himself out with Roger trailing behind.  
Brian catnapped wanting to keep an eye on Freddie, it was still really early when the nightmare started. Fred dreamt that he got locked up forever and everyone forgot him and he died in a bricked up cell. Brian let him cry himself back to sleep curled around him. He too eventually slid into dreamland.  
John drove to the Bulsara residence. They had all picked Freddie up from here before John could almost do it in his sleep at this point. He put it in park and went to the door of the house and knocked firmly it was past dinner but it couldn’t be helped. He was surprised when Jer Freddie’s mom answered the door a little red eyed. She immediately pulled him into a hug.  
“My son?”  
“Safe and being kept an eye on. I was hoping to grab a few things from his room. Fred’s going to need it for the press conference tomorrow.” John said quietly looking around he did not want a confrontation.  
Jer nodded and beckoned him to enter. “Bomi is in our room talking to an old friend. He is a counselor. “  
John entered Freddie’s room it had been picked up from when the orderlies tossed it looking for anything illegal. Nonetheless despite it all he found Freddie’s cosmetic case still intact. A bag that had obviously been packed as a last ditch attempt to escape. Going into the closet he grabbed Freddie’s carry on and refilled it with everything he would need for a few days at Brian’s house. John then grabbed one of Freddie’s premade outfits all set up at a moments notice for whatever suddenly needed to be done. Silently he let himself out not wanting to alert Bomi he was in the house. Jer sat at the kitchen table kleenex at her side.  
“Tell him I love him and to take care of himself.”Jer closed the door behind him softly.  
John got home and he locked the car in the garage but left Freddie’s stuff inside. Silently as he crept into bed and curled himself around Ronnie he promised her and himself never to do what Bomi did.  
Getting up early still wasn’t early enough Ronnie was already awake and making breakfast. “So what is with all the secrecy yesterday? Is there any news on Freddie?”  
John closed his eyes in pain, “Yes we have news on Freddie. There will be a presser today. His father had him committed.”  
Ronnie dropped the spatula she was making eggs with “HE did WHAT?”  
“He committed Fred. Did it under Fred’s birth name so that's why the police didn’t find him when they checked the databases. Apparently he never noticed his son was a singer in a major rock band. He thought Freddie was selling drugs and we were a gang of criminals. The year we were on tour? Thought Freddie was in jail and just got released and came limping home. He committed him when he got out he intended on sending Fred to India where he would marry some woman and learn to be a grocer far far away from the evil influences of London.”  
“Oh Jesus Christ.” Ronnie shook her head in plating up breakfast for John. She brought the food to the table he brought the coffee.  
“If anyone calls no comment. We will do our talking at the presser not before.” he said sliding her coffee over  
“Got it.” they ate breakfast in relative silence after. John left immediately after breakfast for Brian’s house.  
Freddie woke up warm and comfortable and snuggled up to someone or another. Peaking out it was Brian carefully Freddie tried to sneak out of the bed. He needed to use the loo and get rid of these clothes. God he wanted a shower.  
“Fred were you ever going to tell us you were an omega?”  
“Darling I never even told my own Father. Oh he knows now but that makes only 3 people on this planet that know including myself. If I told no one would take me seriously. We would have never gotten anywhere. That's provided I ever managed to leave India. If the school had figured out I was presenting as Omega they would have kept me alerted my parents and I would be married with at least one maybe two children already.” Freddie was almost to the bathroom when he reversed course. “Can I borrow some sweatpants or something till Deacy brings my clothes? I am dying for a shower with proper hot water.” Brian went into his room got a clean pair of pants and a shirt and handed them over. “I’m sorry if your angry with me for hiding it.”  
“No you're not.” Brian said with a sad smile seeing right through Freddie’s little white lie “You had good reason to keep it a secret. Probably should remain that way. Some of the countries aren’t that safe for omegas. I know they want us in Thailand and Malaysia and possibly South America. Are we going to tell Roger and John?”  
“We should just in case my Father blabs it out and Miami too. I don’t want to reveal it if I don’t have to.” Freddie said firmly.  
Brian nodded. “I’ll make us some breakfast.” When Freddie came out there were pancakes and fruit. His stomach a bit more settled, Freddie had no trouble finishing the plate off. “Did you want some more? I can whip up some more batter pretty quickly.”  
“No best not its going to be a long arduous day. The pancakes and fruit were really good though.” Just then John came in with Freddie’s bags. Fred squealed in delight at seeing them. He hugged John and stole his bags and ran back to the guest room.  
“He’s feeling better then?” John said with a grin.  
“A bit yeah.” Brian paused looking back to where Freddie disappeared. Roger came with Miami ten minutes later.  
“Where’s Fred please tell me not still asleep.” Miami begged  
“No he’s awake showered, fed, and should be getting ready. Let me go check.” Brian ambled to the guest room. Freddie was indeed dressed, his make up was done and he was putting the finishing touches on his fingernails. Freddie peaked up at him not raising his head.  
“Almost done dear. Roger here yet?”  
“Yes and Jim. Not to press you but this would be an excellent time to tell them while we are still away from prying ears and eyes.” Freddie nodded in assent. Freddie stood up and took a deep breath.  
Walking resolutely back in the kitchen all eyes were on him. “See still here loves. I do want to tell you something serious. I am hoping it doesn’t come up in this little shindig but better forewarned. At the beginning of the day yesterday I was the only person on the planet that knew this. By the end my Father knew it but no one else. This morning Brian found out by accident. Just in case my father blurts it out by accident you need to know as well. If he doesn’t we don’t mention this to anyone.” Everyone was silently staring at Freddie in anticipation “I am not a beta. I am actually an omega.” Miami groaned ”exactly dear I think you understand the position I have been in since I presented.”Roger and John the poor dears were confused. “Let me sum it up for you. If my father had found out I was an omega back when I first presented or if the school had figured out what my stomach issue was I would be in India married with children right now. Any say in my future would have dissolved into thin air. Poof all gone. Any questions dears?”  
“Is he going to make trouble now?” Miami asked.  
“I don’t think so. He backed down at the office. He could have blown my cover there darling but he didn’t.”  
Miami nodded and checked his watch, “We need to get started before we’re late for our own press conference.”  
Freddie wandered in last after the rest of the band entered the prep room. There was already a heavy media presence waiting for them. Mick Rock snapped a few pictures off to the side as Freddie walked in. A small smattering of applause from the mixed group of people.  
“Oh thank god you look in decent condition.” Nathan Anders, President of Liberty Records said in relief. He was actually only a few years older than they were. He had inherited the record company but worked hard to get it where it was now. Queen had risen with the company and was one of the highest paid acts in the world.  
“And hello to you too dear lovely to see you.” Freddie said merrily. He daintily sat in a nice comfy chair and immediately got beset on by make up artists and hair people. “There are 4 of us.” he said in mild shock  
“Nope we’re good no one is gonna care about us. This is all about you Fred.” Roger said cheerily.  
John giggled cheekily. “Yeah you’re the one that disappeared off the face of the earth ya know not us. Bet you $5 that no one asks me a single question.” John held up a fiver there were no takers.  
“Has my father been spotted?” Freddie asked cautiously.  
“Yes he’s in another room he has the plan he has agreed to follow the plan. It’s a good plan.”came from the harried PR representative a male beta he looked like he hadn’t slept in a while which made Freddie feel bad he made a mental note to send them chocolates and maybe some flowers.  
“What exactly is the plan?” Brian asked.  
“Mr Bulsara missed the memo that his son was a rockstar and thought he was getting his money illegally selling drugs so sent him to the hospital as a last ditch attempt to get clean and turn his life around. That is the plan. Mr Bulsara is an older alpha who even though he is a citizen who served proudly he listens to classical and only really reads the financial papers and papers from his native India where Queen is not popular at all. Any other time what he did would be considered admirable and society would hope his son came out and turned his life around, married and became a grocer. We would consider that a good job to the hospital and NHS for saving him from a life of crime and a potential prison sentence.” The PR representative rushed out chugging some coffee when he stopped. “My boss is with your father now.”  
“We’re pushing back the album by a couple of weeks. Nothing was finalized or contracted yet so it's not that great of a loss.” Mr. Anders said with finality. “Let's retry in two or three months once things settle back down again.”  
“Sounds good to me.” Freddie said in relief. The rest of the band agreed.All too soon it was time to face the pack of vultures in the function room waiting for them. “Do they even know I’ve been found yet?”  
“No not officially.”  
Freddie planted his feet. “Oh god.”  
“They do know we stopped looking. So they know one way or another you have been found.” Anders admitted.  
Freddie was the last through the curtain and pandemonium broke out. Pictures snapped camera men jockeyed for position and reporters shouted. Freddie made a down motion with his hand once everyone regained themselves, “Please hold all your questions till the end. I would like to introduce you to my father Bomi Bulsara who will explain where exactly I’ve been and why.” Freddie vaguely pointed at where his father sat. Rising Bomi took the podium while Freddie sat at his preplanned seat to watch the show.  
“My name is Bomi Bulsara and I did something very stupid. It capped off a long series of errors that I deeply regret. My wife and I were born in colonial India when the call for troops came from London I answered. When the was ended I found a job at the Zanzibar-British Embassy in the payroll department. It was there my son Farrokh was born. When he turned 8 I sent him to a boarding school back in India. It was a very good school and I had hoped after school to send him to a good University and start him off in life with an excellent degree and an easy life as a lawyer or businessman. When Zanzibar revolted we fled to England. Here is where the first of my errors began. My son asked me to attend a concert he and his friends were putting on. I refused I had work early in the morning even as I reminded him music did not pay bills. I told him to get a proper job and stop wasting his life partying and stop sleeping the day away. My second error was not listening to my family. My wife kept trying to tell me what our children were up to but I did not listen. I lectured my daughter about her grades and I lectured my son on his lack of a job and returning to school to get a useful degree this time.”a couple of people in the back laughed “My son always had money but never seemed to work. He would disappear for long stretches only to reappear ‘tired’. The money with no job always tired weird clothing the hair longer than my daughters. I had already come to the conclusion my son was selling drugs. I spoke to other people, not my family and they agreed with the conclusion. I had decided his latest longest absence was probably because he had been locked up for selling and possession. In desperation believing my son to be addicted to drugs, selling drugs and having fallen in with the worst sorts of people I decided to do something drastic. This led us to my worst error in order to get my son away from his criminal friends and dry him out from the drugs I had my son Farrokh committed to an insane asylum.” Cameras flashed furiously people murmured “I was the last person in England to know who Freddie Mercury was and that man was my own son. I am the reason Freddie disappeared off the face of the planet. I committed him under his birth name I never knew he legally changed his name. If he told me I probably wasn’t listening. I never listened to assured in the fact that I was right and my son was lazy and needed my guidance. No one at the hospital realized the mistake until yesterday. I was simply overjoyed that the hospital had run my son’s blood and found no drugs and ran his name by the police and it came up with no charges or convictions. We had tossed the entire house and found no drugs. It was at that point I should have questioned what my son was actually up to. But I didn’t I was overjoyed with his record clean he could go back to India away from London and its bad influences. I had found him an acceptable wife and once he was out of the hospital he would be sent on a one way trip. He would marry and learn to be a grocer. A good profession I decided for a troubled boy. Then the hospital called me they needed a meeting. There I met Mr. Beach and found out my son was a singer in a rock band. I also saw the front page of a newspaper with my son’s face on it with the headline ‘Singer Missing’. It was only then I realized that I had made a huge error. I apologize to my son, his band members, his record company, and his fans for worrying them and causing all of this trouble.” Bomi then stepped away from the podium and sat back down.  
Mr. Anders immediately stepped to the podium, “Queen was announced that they were returning to the recording studio this week; that has obviously not happened. We will reschedule their start date for later this year. Now in a calm, reasonable manner we will open the floor to questions.” Three quarters of the reporters jumped up and talked at once.  
Once order was restored, “Mr. Mercury why change your name? And how do you spell it?  
“You already partially answered your own question.” Freddie drew out. “I liked my stage name better so I legally changed it. F A R R O K H. Don’t ever use it. My name is Freddie Mercury.”  
“Next question” Anders  
“The entire time you were missing you were at the mental hospital?”  
“Yes the entire time.”  
“Did they actually release you or did your father sign you out?”  
“I signed him out.”  
“Are you on a prescription right now from that hospital?”  
“No”  
“Why are you still living at home?”  
“Archaic British laws prevent me from leaving until I am either 25 or married. My father is an alpha and I am not.”  
“Would you have married that girl your father arranged for you in India?”  
“I wouldn’t have had a choice. Archaic Indian laws mean my father has the right to arrange my marriage irregardless of my age.”  
“Do you have Indian citizenship?”  
“No but my father could claim it for me due to ancestry.” John and Roger are now playing hangman. Brian appears to be paying attention but Freddie knew he wasn’t.  
“Have you forgiven your father for committing you?”  
“Not yet. He is still my father. I still love him. I do not forgive him yet. I will. Eventually but not yet.”  
“Mr Bulsara have you actually had a chance to listen to any of your son’s music yet?”  
“No I’ve been busy trying to put my family back together again.”  
“Could you elaborate on that?”  
“My wife knew what Freddie was up to. Had been to a concert and even kept a scrapbook of some of the nicer things that were printed about the band. When she came home and asked where our son was I told her I didn’t know. She hasn’t forgiven me for my lie nor has she forgiven me for committing Freddie.”  
“Where are you now Freddie? I can’t imagine you gleefully went home.”  
“I’m crashing at a friend's guest room. I turn 25 soon enough and I’ll buy my own place.”  
“What was the worst thing about the whole incident for you? and that is a question for both of you.”  
“The horror of seeing my son’s face on the front page of a newspaper and realizing how wrong I was.”  
“The door locking behind me when they shut the cell at night. The lights would go out and it would just me in the dark and the silence. Close second was going down the stairs and seeing my father with the two orderlies who were there to take me away.”  
When the press conference ended Bomi came to his son “Do not cut yourself off from your mother and sister for what I have done. Know though that I love you. I was simply trying to save you from a dark fate. I know now that if I had just spent five minutes and looked and listened we could have forgone this for that I am sorry.”  
Freddie wanted to yell and shout but there were too many people. “If I was truly in that much trouble after I cleaned up I would have thanked you. I will forgive you someday probably soon. I still love you but right now I do not trust you.”  
Bomi nodded and carefully hugged his rigid son before turning and leaving. Before he went out the door he turned and saw his son enveloped by his friends and coworkers. He took the sight in it might be some time before he was allowed this close to his son. Bomi left unnoticed.

**Author's Note:**

> Standard disclaimer not mine


End file.
